This patent application relates to calculating and reducing electromagnetic radiation at varying distances from computer and data processing systems.
Computer systems in general and personal computer systems in particular have attained widespread use within many segments of today's society. A personal computer system can usually be defined as a desktop, floor standing, or portable microcomputer that includes a system processor, memory, a display monitor, a keyboard, one or more diskette drives and a fixed disk storage device.
Computer systems are electronic information handling systems which can be designed to give independent computing power to one user or a plurality of users. A personal computer may also include one or a plurality of peripheral devices which are coupled to the system processor and which perform specialized functions. Examples of peripheral devices include modems, sound and video devices and specialized communication devices. Mass storage devices such as hard disks, CD-ROM drives and magneto-optical drives are also considered to be peripheral devices.
Personal computer system components such as integrated circuits are typically mounted on or integrated within printed circuit boards. During operation of a data processing system having one or more printed circuit boards, the system components cause electric currents to be generated on or in the printed circuit boards and associated components. Such electric currents often result in electromagnetic energy being radiated which can interfere with system operation.
Radiated electromagnetic energy has the capacity to do work (e.g., moving a molecule, such as when a microwave oven heats food by using radiated electromagnetic energy, or causing electromagnetic interference (EMI) in other electronic devices). Accordingly, for a variety of reasons, governmental bodies often enact laws placing limits on radiated electromagnetic energy. Because EMI is of great concern in the industry, such government standards typically limit the measured electric field strength a known distance from the system generating the field.
Accordingly, efforts are made within the industry to limit the EMI generated by a system. But limiting generated EMI requires an estimate of the radiation for a specific system configuration. After the radiation level is known, reconfiguring the system may reduce the amount of EMI. A method is needed to predict radiation generated by a particular system at a fixed distance from the system. The present disclosure addresses this need.